White Shield

[Scooby]

I like it and the Head brewer's reply hasn't put me off, I'll be using it again

[critch]

whiteshield is supposed to be brewed using the stock yeast, then chill filtered through a 5 micron filter, and then reseeded in the bottle with the "special yeast"
my source also said that it pays a "passing similarity" to the stock yeast they use.......

[Mitchamitri]

more to the point its a bugger getting the labels off to reuse the bottles

[mooj]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but has anyone used white shield yeast recently? I'm wondering whether the yeast may have changed with their move to a new site. I started a brew on Saturday with this, but there is no top activity with the yeast, I didn't notice any in the starter either.

It's fermenting a little warm, 21deg, due to the unseasonal british weather, and it's going like the clappers, never seen anything like it, trub or yeast is shooting round the fermenter like a meteor storm. Only a light foam and it has a pleasant smell with no big fruity esters.

[Invalid Stout]

I haven't cultured it from the bottle recently, but I don't have any reason to suspect it's changed.

It will probably swim around in the beer until it's finished fermenting and only then float up to the top.

[FiercelyFuzzy]

I'm planning on making a White Shield starter this week. I'll let you know how I get on.
It's a nice beer though. And the labels of these bottles do seem to come off in hot water..!

[mooj]

It will probably swim around in the beer until it's finished fermenting and only then float up to the top.

Interesting, I supposed I expected to see some yeast on the top like a true top fermenter. Now I think about there was a small amount of foam on the starter that didn't disappear at the end, it's possible it was a yeasty foam.

I'm planning on making a White Shield starter this week. I'll let you know how I get on.
It's a nice beer though. And the labels of these bottles do seem to come off in hot water..!

You may have read / know this already but make sure you chill the bottle first. I have made the mistake of drinking this beer warm and it throws the yeast very quickly. I'll let you know how the beer mine turns out.

[mooj]

I just checked the brew and it seems I spoke too soon, it definitely has a yeasty head now

[FiercelyFuzzy]

Cheers for the heads up about chilling the bottle. I followed Chris's method last night and now the 100ml starter is bubbling away nicely.
Does yours look like it'll attenuate to a reasonable level? The bottle of White Shield I drank last night did taste a bit sweet so I'm wondering if it'll finish high.

[mooj]

It's slowed right down now so it might be finished soon, if so I'll be able to give you an idea soon when I take a gravity reading. I can't remember white shield being particularly sweet, but my memory is crap and it's not a regular beer I buy.

[Invalid Stout]

Does yours look like it'll attenuate to a reasonable level? The bottle of White Shield I drank last night did taste a bit sweet so I'm wondering if it'll finish high.

My brews using the yeast finish very dry, I'm actually considering switching away from it because of this.

[mooj]

Hi FF, just to let you know my results: It actually finsished fermenting a week ago but I wasn't sure as there was still a fair bit of yeast on top so I stirred it and left it for another week. When I kegged on Friday I got a FG reading of 1.010, which was the same as a week ago. Just for further reference my mash temp was 66deg, the grist was 95% pale, 5% cara amber and the OG was 1.046. Hope yours turns out well, from the initial tasting of mine I have high hopes, it was rather nice. Oh, god, I've gone and cursed it now........

[FiercelyFuzzy]

Thanks for the update Mooj!
I plan to brew this week so my flasks are chilling in the fridge at the moment. There's a nice thick layer of sediment so all should hopefully be good.
Cheerio
FF

[johnmac]

How does the White Shield yeast taste? Is it neutral or fruity?

[johnmac]

Thanks Chris. I'm fermenting a WS brew at the moment. The starter exploded on the stir plate but so far this fermentation has been tame, with only an inch of yeast on top. I hope it tastes as nice as the starter did.